Railway water column



J. r. M GARRY ETAL 2,368,994

RAILWAY WATER COLUMN Feb. 6, 1945.

Filed May 25, 1942 2 mfim a w %m r 7, CAN Mm 42 W; m WWW aw v Patented Feb. 6, 1945 RAILWAY WATER COLUMN John T.-McGarry and Howard A. Eads, Cincinnati, Ohio; said Eads assignor to said Mc- Garry ApplicationMay 23, 1942, Serial No. 444,237 7 Claims. o1. 137-21 This invention relates to a railway water column, the purpose of which is to serve boiler water to the reservoir or tank ordinarily carried bythe locomotive tender.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide structural improvements in a water column, in the interests of simplicity, durability, safety, and reduction of costs in manufacture and maintenance.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a water column, novel means to facilitate and expedite normal usage of the device, in order to avoid unnecessary eifort and delay in the running schedule of trains. A further object is to provide a water column .1

ditions, without the need for frequent servicing.

Another object is to providein a water column of the improved type disclosed herein, means which are effective, safe, and durable,'for locking the delivery spout against kick-up as the water valve is opened initially to serve the tender. The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in crosssection, showing a water column embodying the new features of construction that constitute the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, part being brokenaway in the interest of clarity of disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a view of an actuating lever that forms a detail of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the lock bar for the delivery spout. I

Fig 5 is a perspective view of a clutch-element for the lock bar, utilized in the improved structure.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a modified form of valve rod and clutching assembly.

Like the water columns presently in use, the

water column of this invention is adapted for placement alongside a railway track; in position for winging movement of its delivery spout from a normally inoperative position in parallelism with the track to an operative position at right angles to and overhanging the track and in registry with the manhole of the water reservoir of a locomotive tender. In the inoperative position of the delivery spout, the structure preferably is locked against, accidental swinging movement, as will be explained. In the operative position, the spout is to be locked against kick-up resulting from delivery of water thereto by the nozzle of the standpipe. The foregoing general statements will be amplified: as the description proceeds. i

In accordance with the teaching of the present disclosure, the water column includes a rigid tower consisting of three or more uprights 1 having their lower endsfsecurely bolted or otherwise fixed as at 8 to the pit structure 9 which houses the main valve l0 controlling the. flow of water through the apparatus. At the upper ends of the uprights, the rigid tower carries a top cap l2 which is fixed as am to the uprights. The top cap furnishes a base upon which may rotate an elevated turntable indicated generally by the character M. The top cap and the turntable are located well beyondthe reachof workmen concernedwith operation of the water column, and the elevation of theturntable may approximate the height of a locomotive tender in the vicinity of the water hole of its tank or resv ervoir.

As illustrated by Figs. 1 and '2, the turntable l4 may be of disc shape, if desired, although it is at once observable that -the turntable may a1- ternatively be of spider configuration. In this respect, the shape of the turntable is relatively immaterial except for the advantage inherent in the disc hape of turntable, of providing coverage for the cap of thetower to exclude the deposit of dirt and foreign matter from the track upon 1 which the turntable is guided 'inits rotational movement. In this regard, attention is directed to the series of brackets'l5 that support the, axles of rollers l6 arranged radially'ofthe turntable, and which rollers rest upon the track I! of the top cap as the turntable is rotated to and from the operative and inoperative positions. In order that the turntablemay always be centered relative to the top cap, suitable means may be provided for keeping the axis of rotation of the turntable coincidental with .the center point of the top cap. Such means. conveniently may consist of a guide in the form of a circular ring 'or rib -'I8 boundingeither the outer or the inner limits of the'track l1;

' The guide means I8 obviously may be replaced with other forms of guides capa ble of accomplishing the purpose thereof.

Upon the turntable there is rigidly mounted a frame or truss-work indicated generally by the character I9, which is adapted to rotate with the umn is supplied from an elevated storage tank of great capacity, it is desirable to reduce the 7 height of the gooseneck conduit as much as poswork for movement from the full line position to,

the dotted line position of the spout, as illus trated. The pivotal point 25 is duplicated at the rear side of the apparatus, so that the spout will a be supported by two. spaced. uprights 2|. The

truss-work may be fixed to the turntable in any suitable manner, such as by providing integral upstanding lugs 26 on the turntable, which may be bolted, riveted or otherwise fixedly secured to.

the channel irons that constitute the pairs of uprights and 2|. This structure is illustrated clearly in Fig. 2.

Centrally of the turntable, a suitable clamping means is provided for the support of a long straight standpipe 21 that is fixed at its lower end to the valve I0, so that the standpipe and the valve may rotate in unison. At 28 is shown a swivel union which permits the valve to rotate relative to the supply pipe 29 while at the same time maintaining a water tight connection therewith. The valve and the swivelunion are located within the pit, below the frost line, so as to avoid freezing of the valve during the winter season. The valve, shown in closed position, may be opened by lifting the valve lever 30 and rotating it about the shaft 3|.

The means on the turntable, whereby the standpipe is fixed for rotation with the turntable, may comprise a boss or a ring 32 in fixed relationship to the turntable, said ring or boss being receptive of the standpipe. and adapted for fixation thereto in any suitable manner such as by means of one or more setscrews or the like 33 projecting through the boss or ring and contacting the standpipe. It will accordingly be understood that bodily rotation of "the turntable, which carries with it the delivery spout 24, is accompanied by bodily rotation of'the straight standpipe 2T and the valve l0.

' At the location 34, a joint is made between the upper endof the standpipe and the lower end of a gooseneck conduit 35, the connection at the joint being fixed so as to enforcerotation of the gooseneck conduit With" the' standpipe 21. The major portion of th gooseneck conduit is circular and is formed on a large diameter such that water fed through it from the standpipe will encounter very little resistance to flow, and will leave the nozzle 36 of the gooseneck conduit at a rapid rate of discharge. The nozzle 36, as will be noted preferably directs the stream of water outwardly and downwardly at an angle corresponding to the angle'at which the delivery spout is inclined when in the operative position suggested by the broken lines of Fig. 1.

With further reference to the gooseneck cone duit, it should be appreciated that the nozzle end thereof preferably is at a minimum elevation, atleast as low as the roof of the average railway freight car, so that advantage may be hadof the greatest possible head of watenobtaim able from a storage tank or other source of, supply feeding the pipe 29 within the pit. Since in the .nilajorit'yv of railway water systems thewater col motive tenders.

sible in order to secure a maximum pressure and flow of water at the nozzle 36.

, In maintaining the minimum elevation of gooseneck conduit 35, provision is made for normally supporting the delivery spout in an upwardly inclined position as illustrated by full lines at 24 of Fig. 1 with the delivery end 3'! of the spout elevated sufficiently to clear the railway car roofs and the buckboards of thelargest loco- Accordingly, the pivotal points 25. of the delivery spout preferably are placed at substantially the elevation of spout 36,'and are so arranged that'the receiving end 38 of the delivery spout will register with the nozzle whether 1 the spout be elevated or lowered. The spout preferably is counterbalanced by springs or weights, as may be preferred, the. means of the present disclosure being in the form of a pair of counterbalance arms 39 and 4|! secured to opposite sides of the spout at the location 4| and extending rearwardly thereof in spaced parallelism, the free ends of the arms being provided with counterbalance weights 42 and 43 as shown. Either the weights or the arms may normally rest upon suitable stops or abutments extending from opposite sides of the gooseneckvconduit, as indicated at 44. The stops or abutments extend outwardly in opposite directions from the gooseneck conduit and may be made integral therewith, or as separate parts, as may be desired. The weights preferably are shiftable along the counterbalance arms.

The characters 45 and [4,6indicate hand holds near the delivery end of the spout, to bev used at the convenience of the trainmen in directing the delivery end of the spout into the water hole of the locomotive tender. The hand holdsflfi may 'be duplicated at the opposite side of the spout.

such as the position indicated by broken lines at 24, whenever the valve I0 "is opened. The locking bar,'shown in detail by Fig. 4', may be of fork shape, thereby providing the spaced parallel portions and 5| joined at 52, where the locking-bar becomes, a, single extension for pivotal connection with the bracket. The spaced parallel portions50 and 5| are. developed into racks, by providing teeth 53 along corresponding edges thereof. These teeth are-adapted to engage the complementary teeth of. a clutch element indicated generally by the character, 54 (Fig, 5), whichclutch element may include a cross head 55 having downwardly. turned ears 56 rounded at their free, ends and provided withteeth 51 complementary tothe teeth, of the lockingv bars. The ears 56 of "the clutch. element are spaced apart a distance corresponding-to the spac between the parallel elements 50 and 5 of the looking bar, so that when the locking bar is placed in engagement with the-clutchelement, the teeth of both sections 50 and 5| will engage the teeth of both ears 56-56 of the clutch element. Bolt holes 58 may be provided, in the clutch element orv its crossbar, for the reception of" bolts 59 which fixedly secure the clutch. element to. the gooseneck conduit 35,(seeFig; 1

Except when the rack teeth; of; the 5 locking bar lever 67.

teeth of the clutch member.

plish this, the exposed valve rods 60, located at opposite diameters of the standpipe exteriorly thereof, are arranged for longitudinal movement vertically beneath the toothed ears 56--56 of the stationary clutching element; These rods 60 are guided at their lower ends by supporting them in perforated extendinglugs 6| carried by the standpipe flange, or by the body of the valve,

while at the upper ends the rods are pivoted as at 62 to the free ends of a" pair of crank arms 63 which are fixedly mounted upon a horizontal shaft 64 journaled in bracket 65 that may constitute an integral part of the goosen'eck conduit as shown, or which may conceivably extend from the body of the turntable or itsframework. It

should be understood that the shaft 64 is sufiiciently long to support two crank arms such as 63, one at each of its ends, in order thatboth of thevalve rods may be actuated in unison to open and close the valvewhen the shaft'64is rocked within its bearing means. shaft 64' as stated,'one' of the arms 63 may carry a socket or other suitable device 66 to which may be fixed an upstanding valve rod actuating lever 61 arranged for movement by the mere application of a pulling force to a cable, rope, or the;-

In order to rockthe like 68 having one of its ends fastened to'the. delivery spout nearits deliveryend, as at 69, and

its other end fastened as at 10, to the free end of From the foregoing, it will readily be understood that a trainman, upon positioning the delivery end of the spout over the water hole of a locomotive tender, may pull the'cord or cable 68 and thereby cause the'lever 63 to elevate the valve rods 60, for opening the supply valve. As

will now be explained, the act of pulling the cord or cable 68 to open'the valve, will result also in locking the spout in the lowered operative position. 1 e

As illustrated by Figs. 1 and 3, the arm 63 may carry a pair of upwardly projecting lugs ll-42 'which are spaced apart sufficiently to provide guides preventing lateralmovement of the rack portions'of the locking bar.

a frictionless seat against which the backs of the rack portions may rest at all times. 'The rollers portions of the locking bar will be maintained always in the planes of said ears. Accordingly, when the valve rods 60 are lowered as illustrated by Fig. 1, the racks will travel'over the rollers 13 of each of the opposed arms 63, without lia-' bility of the teeth of the racks to engagethe However, should the cord or cable 68 be pulled while" the discharge elevate the'rollers 13' and thereby cause the teeth of the racks' to engage the teeth of the clutch element. 1 At the same time 'the valve rods 60 will Between said lugs or extensions, a roller 13 may be interposed, for rotation upon a shaft I4, said roller providing 13 are located directly beneaththe' toothed ears 56 of the clutch element 54, so that the rack discharged at the nozzle136a'an'd willtnterthe spout .24, and this stream of water. in strikingthe down-turned delivery end of the spout will ,havea tendency c, to produce an: up-kick of the delivery end of the spout, Which nip-kick, if not promptly arrested might throw the attendant from his station at the water hole aof the locomotive tender, with thepossi'bility of inflicting seri-. I

one injury on him. The possibility of such dangerous actions of the spout is effectively prevented by reason of the fact that the water sup-,

ply valve may never 'be opened without simultaneously locking the spoutagainst kick-up; The

'spout locking means just described is simple in construction and dependable in its operation, so that accidents of the character above-"mentioned need never occur in connection with water columns equipped with the safeguards herein described.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a slightly diirerent form of means for elevating the locking bar into 7 clutching engagement with a clutching element.

such as 54. In this modification, the lever 63 has at its outer end-a clamping-portion 14 adapted for fixation'to the valve rod 60. at adi'stance from the upper end of the rod. The upper end of i the rod carries a bifurcated bracket or' sheave held to the threaded upper end of the rod by means of a lock nut '16, this being for the purpose of adjustment of aroller 1! toward and fromthe clutch element '55. The'roller 1-7 may 'be mounted for rotation upon a shaft" carried by the spaced arms of the bracket or sheave. -In the modified form, roller .Tl'may have spaced outer flanges between which therackportionof a locking bar may rest and be guided positively toward the teeth 'of'the clutching element. As

'will'be' understood, the upper end of each of the two valve rods at opposite diameters of the stand? pipe, would be equipped 'with 'the means-of Fig.6. Various other means of supporting and "shifting 'the'locking bar may be devised, based'upon suggestions of Figs; 1, 3 and 6. i

It is desirable that the turntable be held against rotation while'the water column'is' in use, wherefore a suitable lock for the purpose may-be incorporated the structure. Such a lock is illustrated injFig. 1 wherein'the char- -ac ter 19 indicates'a vertical reciprocal plunger having a lower end B to enter in one of a series 'of recesses or holes 82 (Fig. 2) provided'in the top cap of the tower. The plunger maybe urged toward the lower position by means of a spring 8|, so that 'the'plungenwill be forced to drop into a depression 8? whenever the turntable-is rotated to a predetermined position. A hook 83 having an extension-lld pivoted-"at85 to the upper end of the plunger, serves as an actuator for the plunger. The hook 83 maybe moved,

about its pivot 86 on the framework of the turntable, by means of any long bar or rod, suchasa firemans hook, which forms part of the equipspout is in a lowered position, the arms 63 will be moved in' clockwisedirection at the shaft'64, to

ment common to all locomotives. The various recesses 82 may beso located upon the top cap ofthe tower,'as to receive the locking plunger 19 in both the operative and inoperative positions of the water column; While it is imma-. terial whether the recesses 82"be provided in the top cap or in a ring 88 fixed to the'top cap,

such a ring is illustrated as being "satisfactorily operative for the purpose of stopping the plunger bepsimilar ly elevated, to open "the supply valve.

"I. A forceful stream ofwater'thereupbriwillbe" and providing a track upon which it'may ride "between successive recesses 82; The stop means for arresting rotational movem'entTof the .turnt'able, while not a necessary element of the apparatus,isnevertheless a desirable and useful attachment as it not only precludes displacement of the spout from the region of the water hole, but itperformsalso to prevent accidental swinging of the discharge spout into the path of rolling stock that may be railway tracks.

Asstated in the introductory portion of the specifications, the structural improvements of the herein described water column are inducive .in transit along the mcee a lower end projected through the aperture aforesaid and having a fluidcommunicating relationship with. the valve, said. standpipe being surrounded by the'tower. substantially throughout the heightof the standpipe, a rotatable turntable atop the towerand having. a central opento simplicity of manufacture and operation, to 1 l which may .be added a substantial increase in durability and length of trouble free service.

In the present structure, the major portion of all lateral strains and vibrations resulting from passage of water .under high pressure through the gooseneck conduit and into the discharge I spout, are efiectively absorbed or distributed so as to prevent violent and harmful shaking and loosening of vital parts of the apparatus. .As a direct result of thestructural improvements incorporated in the present water column, its useful life is prolonged, with a substantial reduction in maintenance service.

It is to be, understood that various modifica 'valve rod extending along thestandpipe exte- 'riorlythereof, and through the aperture of the pit structure, said rod. having an operating con- ".nection with thevalve and being surrounded and tions and changes in the structural details of the device may be made, within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

protected by the tower throughout substantially the full height of the, valve rod above the pit structure aperture, a depending brace on the delivery spout having a free end disposed in close proximity with the upper end of the valverod, and means operative as the valve rod is .reciprocated in opposite directions, to selectively clamp thebrace between the valve rod end and a stationary part of the nozzle element.

1. In a railway water column or the like, the

combination'of an apertured pit structure and a tower fixed in upstanding relationship to the pit structure and about the aperture thereof, a

,top capon the tower including a circular track in a horizontal plane, a turntable above said cap,

' and roller means on the turntable to rest upon said circular track for support of the turntable during rotation of the latter, said turntable having a central opening, a standpipe extending vertically through said central opening standpipe with the turntable, a gooseneck conduit mounted for rotation with the turntable and having a nozzle for directing a flow of fluid from the standpipe downwardly and outwardly of the :axis of rotation of the turntable, a framev 3. In a railway water column or the like, the combination of a standpipe having upper and lower ends, a Water control valve in fluid communicating relationship with the lower end of the standpipe, a nozzle at the upper end of the standpipe, and a hollowadjustable delivery spout supportedto receive a stream of water from the nozzle and to direct said stream toward a receptacle, a locking bar carried by the delivery spout, a vertically reciprocable valve rod having at one end an operative connection with the valve to open and close the latter, 'saidrod being disposed wholly exteriorly. of and in parallelism with the standpipe, and substantially coextensive therewith, the opposite end of said valve rod having associated therewith a member to normally support the'weight of the locking bar, and means to clutch and release the locking bar as the valve rod is vertically reciprocated .in opposite directions.

upstanding upon the turntable in protective re-,

lationship substantially about conduit, a delivery spout having an outer delivery end and winner receiving end, the latter :;end being receptive of fluid discharging from the nozzle of the gooseneck conduit, .means on the turntable frame for supporting the inner receiving end of the delivery spout pivotally to guide the spout vertically alongan arcuate path of movement trom an upwardly inclined inoper ative position to a downwardly iclined operative position, a vertical valve actuatingrod supported by the turntable for reciprocatory movement .to control the valve, and .means associated with that portion of therod which extends above the turntable, for effecting fixation of the spout upon movement of the rod in one direction of reciprocation.

2. Ina railway water column or the like, the combination of an apertured pit structure and a tower fixed in upstanding relationship to the the gooseneck 4. In a railway water column or the like, the combination of :a standpipe having upper and lower ends, a water control valve in fluid communicating relationship with the lower end of the standpipe, a nozzle at the upper end of the standpipe,, and .alhollow adjustable delivery spout supported .to receive a stream of water from the .nozzle and to direct said stream toward a receptacle, a locking bar carried by the delivery spout,

a vertically reciprocable valve .rod having at one end an operative connection with the valve to .open and close the latter, said .rod being disposed wholly .exteriorly ofand in parallelism with .the standpipe, .and substantially coextensive therewith, the opposite end of said vvalve rod having associated therewith .a member to normally support the weight of the .lockingbar, and a clutching element for the locking bar, disposed for engagement and disengagement .with the locking bar as themember supporting the weight of the locking bar isvs'hifted by the valverod toward and from the clutching element.

'5. In a railway water column or the like, the.

standpipe, a gooseneck conduit fixed. at the upper end of the standpipe, and a hollow adjustable delivery spout supported to receive a stream of water from said conduit and to direct said stream toward a receptacle, a rigid fixed tower surrounding the standpipe in protective relationship thereabout, said tower including a top portion disposed at a substantial elevation approximating the height of the upper end of the standpipe where the latter meets the gooseneck conduit, a turntable rotatable upon the top portion of the tower, means on the turntable supporting the adjustable delivery spout for arcuate movement in a vertical plane, means fixing the upper end of the standpipe to the turntable for rotation therewith, and a vertically reciprocable valve rod disposed exteriorly of the standpipe along the full length of the latter, said valve ro-d having an operative connection with the valve at its lower end, means near the opposite end of the valve rod for imparting vertical movements thereto and operating said valve to open and closed positions, and means operating concurrently with movements of the valve rod, to lock the delivery spout against movements from an adjusted position,

6. In a railway water column or the like, the

combination of a standpipe having upper and lower ends, a water control valve in fluid communicating relationship with the lower end of the standpipe, a nozzle at the upper end of the standpipe, and a hollow adjustable delivery spout supported to receive a stream of water from the nozzle and to direct said stream toward a receptacle, a locking bar pivotally mounted upon the delivery spout in depending relationship thereto and having a, free end directed obliquely downwardly toward the standpipe axis, a vertically reciprocable valve rod having at one end an operative connection with the valve to open and close the latter, said rod being disposed wholly exteriorly of and in substantial parallelism with the standpipe, the opposite end of said valve rod having associated therewith a member to contact and move the locking bar about its pivotal mounting incident to reciprocation of the'valve rod, and clutch means to grip and release the looking bar upon movement of the valve rod and the contact member in opposite directionswith the valve rod.

7. In a railway water column or the like, the

combination of a standpipe having upper and lower ends, a water control valve in fluid communicating relationship with the lower end of the standpipe, a nozzle at the upper end of the standpipe, and a hollow adjustable delivery spout supported to receive a stream of water from the nozzleand to direct said stream toward a receptacle, a locking bar pivotally mounted upon the delivery spout in depending relationship thereto and having a free end directed obliquely downwardly toward the standpipe axis, a vertically reciprocable valve rod having at one end an operative connection with the valve to open and close the latter, said rod being disposed wholly exteriorly of and in substantial parallelism with the standpipe, a contact member movable with the valve rod to impart slight rotation to the locking bar about its pivotal mounting to a locking position, a clutch member fixed relative to the standpipe nozzle in position to engage with and grip the locking bar when so moved to locking position by the contact member, and means con trollable from the region of the delivery spout, to selectively reciprocate the valve rod for opening the valve and locking the locking bar to the clutch member unitarily.

JOHN T. MCGARRY. HOWARD A. EADS. 

